


How to Save a Life

by shions_heart



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood Drinking, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, M/M, POV Alternating, Vampire Hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 23:53:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9295211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shions_heart/pseuds/shions_heart
Summary: Kuroo Tetsurou's parents are killed by vampires when he is eight years old. Twelve years later, consumed by rage and hatred for the vampire kind, the hunter still searches for the coven that killed them, vowing justice (or revenge).Kozume Kenma thinks he'd rather die than live as a vampire, but when the newly turned nineteen-year-old's path crosses Kuroo's, the hunter spares his life in exchange for his assistance in avenging the hunter's parents' death.Tension is a string pulled taut between them, and sooner or later something will snap.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bubblline](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubblline/gifts).



> When Annie came to me with her vampire!Kenma/hunter!Kuroo idea, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it contained to the 2k she paid me for. /)u(\ Her idea was so amazing, I just had to play it out until the end!
> 
> So here you go, a monster vampire au! I hope you all enjoy it. I had a lot of fun writing it. XD

The smell of blood permeates the air.

He feels the burn of acid in the back of his throat, as bile rises from his stomach. Stumbling forward, he knows what's waiting around the corner, but he finds he can't stop. Gripping the edge of the wall, he steps around it to look into his parents' bedroom.

Although it's not a surprise to see the blood-drenched sheets, it still hits him like the first time. He sinks to his knees, a scream of rage and pain building inside him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he clenches his fists together and releases it.

 

 

 

Kuroo Tetsurou opens his eyes with a gasp. Sweat clings to his skin, plastering his hair to the sides of his face. His throat feels raw, and when he swallows against the dryness of his mouth, he grimaces. The palms of his hands sting, and when he lifts them in front of his eyes, he sees the indents his fingernails made. He drops them over his face, shuddering.

It's then that he realizes someone is watching him. Sitting up quickly, he reaches beneath his pillow and pulls out a long, sharp wooden stake. He lifts it as he turns, ready to throw. He stops short when he sees wide golden eyes, small pouty-lips, and the poorly dyed brown to blonde hair of his new partner, Kozume Kenma.

Looking at him standing beside the bed, dressed only in one of Kuroo's shirts that reaches his mid-thigh, Kuroo almost forgets what he is, what he represents. He looks innocuous, blinking slowly. His gaze is fixed on the stake in Kuroo's hand.

Slowly, Kuroo lowers his arm, though he doesn't loosen his grip on it.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" he asks, voice hoarse.

"You were screaming," Kozume says, voice bland.

"I'm fine." Kuroo clenches his jaw, speaking through gritted teeth. "Get out."

Kozume shrugs and leaves.

Kuroo falls back against the mattress, pressing his palms into his eyes. The hard wood of the stake presses into his forehead.

_I'm sorry, Mom and Dad._

Hoisting himself out of bed, he slips the stake back under the pillow. He can hear sounds in the kitchen and dresses quickly, slipping a smaller stake into the leg pocket of his black tactical pants. These days he never does anything without a spare stake on hand. Just in case.

He steps into the kitchen, going straight for the coffee maker. Kozume stands to his left, scooping rice into a bowl. Wordlessly, he cracks an egg over it, watching it sizzle on the hot rice, before turning and holding the bowl out to Kuroo. Kuroo takes it slowly.

"Thanks . . ." he says, carrying the bowl and his coffee mug over to the table. He sits, sipping his coffee and watching as Kozume opens a cabinet and stands on his toes to reach a mug. The shirt rides up his thighs, and Kuroo catches a glimpse of the tight blue boxer-briefs clinging to his ass. He swallows down a gulp of hot coffee, grimacing at the slight burn.

 _It's fine to look as long as I don't_ do _anything,_ he reasons with himself.

Kozume makes his way over to the fridge, opening it and bending down to reach into a lower shelf. This time, Kuroo gets a very fine view of his ass in that tight underwear, and he can't help but appreciate it.

"Stop staring at my ass," Kozume says flatly, head still in the fridge.

"You're the one sticking it out here," Kuroo points out, though guilt squirms in his stomach. He turns his gaze away, trying not to think of what his parents would say if they could see him now.

_They'd be so disappointed._

Kuroo focuses on eating, hearing the fridge shut and the microwave open. As it runs, the smell of blood begins to fill the kitchen. Kuroo drops his chopsticks, turning to frown at Kozume, who's standing beside the microwave, staring into nothing.

"Do you have to do that?" he asks irritably. Normally, he can stomach the smell, having grown used to it over the years, but after his nightmare . . .

Kozume blinks at him. "It's gross if it's cold," he says, wrinkling his nose.

Kuroo stands abruptly, walking over to open the microwave. Kozume glares up at him, as he reaches to grab the lukewarm cup, shoving it into Kozume's hands.

"Deal with it," he says.

Kozume looks as though he'd like nothing more than to fling the contents of the mug into Kuroo's face. Instead, without breaking eye contact, he slowly sets the mug back into the microwave, shutting it and hitting the start button once more. Kuroo quickly opens it once more.

"Don't test me," he growls, a vein in his forehead throbbing.

Kozume tilts his head. "Would you rather I drink from a source?" he asks, gaze slipping down to rest on the side of Kuroo's neck. His small pink tongue darts out to lick his lips slowly, and Kuroo shudders, taking a step back.

Hand twitching at his side, he continues to frown. "You know the rules," he says in a low, careful tone. "You drink from the bags, or you don’t drink at all."

Kozume turns away, facing the microwave again. "Then I drink it how I want it," he says.

Kuroo gives up. Picking up his bowl and coffee, he leaves the kitchen to sit in the living room instead. He can still smell the blood, and although it's nauseating, it's not as potent as before.

Putting his feet up on the coffee table, he turns on the TV to watch the news.

_"Earlier today there were reports that another home in Nerima City was attacked late last night. All occupants were found dead with their blood drained from their bodies. Police are investigating but it seems to be related to other such attacks the ward has been reporting for the past few months. We could be looking at a serial killer, ladies and gentlemen, and we urge you to lock your doors and keep your families—"_

Kuroo turns off the TV. Sensing Kozume behind him, he speaks without turning around.

"Friends of yours?"

Silence greets this question.

He moves to stand. "I'm grabbing my stuff. We leave in five."

Without waiting for Kozume's reply (he knows he probably won't get one anyway), he walks to the linen closet in the hallway and opens it. Reaching to the side, Kuroo presses against a hidden lever. The entire interior of the closet, linens and blankets in all, sinks into the floor, revealing another room, small but packed with weaponry. Stepping inside, Kuroo starts pulling down what he needs. He straps a crossbow and a quiver to his back, buckles a two holster belt around his waist, stuffing his pockets with boxes of ammunition. He pulls a duffel bag down from a high shelf, checking to make sure everything he needs is inside, before tossing it toward the doorway.

Kozume catches it instinctively, though he fumbles and nearly drops it. "Where's my weapon?" he asks.

"In the bag."

A pause, as Kozume unzips the bag. "There's only stakes in here."

"Pick one." Kuroo checks a pistol, making sure it's properly loaded, before slipping it into one of the holsters on his hip.

"I'll be more effective with a gun. You've only been training me in hand to hand combat for a few weeks."

"You've learned enough to get by. You'll be fine."

Kozume blocks the doorway, as Kuroo tries to leave. He's wearing a black shirt under a dark blue jacket. His tactical pants are a pair of Kuroo's, the legs rolled up and the waistband cinched tightly with a belt to fit him. Kuroo would laugh, if it wasn't for the dark look in Kenma's eyes.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already," he says, looking up at Kuroo through long eyelashes.

Kuroo shoulders past him. "I'm still not willing to take the risk."

He heads for the door, pulling on his boots then. Kozume appears at his side a minute later, pulling on his own boots. Together, they step out into the night.

 

-

 

 

It doesn't take them long to reach the house. After an attack like this, most people stay inside until they forget to be afraid. They encounter little traffic, and nobody confronts them when they duck under the police tape and approach the house. Kuroo sends Kozume around back to check the perimeter, as he heads for the front door. Of course it's locked when he gets to it, but a few minutes later it opens, and Kozume beckons him inside.

Kuroo doesn't bother asking him how he got in, simply steps past him. They head for the master bedroom where the bodies were found. The bodies are gone now, but blood stains still cover the mattress, the walls, and some parts of the floor.

"Shit," Kuroo says, looking at the evidence of carnage.

He steps further into the room, analyzing the patterns of the blood spray. "They got them both in bed," he says, gesturing. "Hit the main arteries. After they had their fill, they left them to bleed out."

Kozume lingers in the doorway, his gaze blank as he surveys the room. Kuroo studies his expression, looking for signs of guilt or remorse or even recognition. But as always, Kozume's face is impassive, revealing nothing.

"Well? What do you think?" he asks, hands on his hips.

Kozume slowly turns his gaze onto Kuroo. He blinks, his vision focusing. "You described the scene of your parents' murder as clinical. There was blood on the bed, but nowhere else. These weren't the same vampires."

"Not your vampires, you mean," Kuroo says carefully.

Kozume blinks again. "The vampires that turned me were disorganized and rabid. They created a scene much like this one." He nods to the bloody display before them. "I don't know who killed your parents."

"So you keep saying," Kuroo mutters, turning away. Disappointment fills him, but he knows it was a long shot. Still, vampires are vampires, so he glances sidelong at Kozume and decides they might as well make this night worth their while. 

"Can you catch their scent?"

Kozume lifts his head, sniffing the air. He doesn't reply, but he does turn and head back toward the front door. Kuroo follows him, being sure to lock up before stepping off the porch. He follows Kozume through the streets of the neighborhood, toward the downtown area.

He leads them to a coin laundry, or rather the alleyway behind it. Almost immediately he stops, causing Kuroo to nearly run into him. Frowning, he steps around the shorter man and pulls the crossbow off his back.

"Now, this is interesting. One of us teaming up with a hunter? That's not something you see every day."

A figure emerges from the shadows of the alley. Kuroo notches an arrow to his bow, lifting it.

"Don't come any closer," he says sharply.

The figure stops, putting up his hands slowly. Kuroo catches only vague features in the dark, but he doesn't mistake the glint of fangs in the orange glow from the streetlamps above. 

"Why are you helping him? Does he have you enslaved? Is he blackmailing you?" the vampire continues to speak to Kozume, ignoring Kuroo.

"Were you one of the ones that attacked that house last night?" Kuroo asks. "Do you know who killed the hunters Kuroo Kouta and Kuroo Ren?"

The vampire finally turns his eyes onto Kuroo, and they flash red. "I've never heard of them before," he says with a shrug.

"Kuroo," Kozume hisses softly behind him.

Kuroo presses forward, backing the vampire into the wall behind him. "It was about twelve years ago. Word travels, right? They were famous hunters. You have to know _something_!"

" _Kuroo_."

"What?" Kuroo snaps, not turning around to look at him.

"We're surrounded."

Kuroo finally looks toward Kozume. He's standing still as a statue, as a woman behind him holds sharp nails against his neck. Beside her, two men step out of the darkness, and two more join the side of the vampire backed against the wall. Kuroo steps back.

"Did you really think I would travel alone?" the vampire asks with a smirk.

"What are you doing with this hunter, little one?" the woman asks Kozume, playing with a strand of his hair. "You're so pale. Is he even feeding you? You should join us. We'll make sure you're full of blood every night."

Kozume closes his eyes. His hands tremble, and he curls them into fists. Kuroo turns, focusing his arrow on Kozume's chest. He knows how tempting an offer that must be to the vampire, and he can't take any chances.

He can sense the other vampires closing in. Soon, he's not going to have enough room to shoot. He knows his best chance is to kill Kozume now, shoot through him and the woman to kill two birds with one arrow, and then dispatch of the rest.

But then Kozume opens his eyes, the gold glinting in the orange light. They flick down briefly, and Kuroo looks to his hand. He sees the stake and smirks, giving Kozume the barest of nods.

"Thanks," Kozume says softly, and the woman relaxes. Quicker than Kuroo can blink, Kozume turns and stabs her through the heart. She bursts into dust with a short scream. "But no thanks."

As the men freeze, stunned, Kuroo spins and kicks the one he'd been talking to, knocking him back against the wall and shooting off an arrow into his chest. The man turns to dust, and Kuroo takes on the closest two, while Kozume takes on the other two. He has to abandon the bow as the vampires close in, but he withdraws his pistol, punching one vampire in the face, before ducking under the arms of the next one, shooting up into his heart.

He drops to the ground as the first vampire charges toward him. He trips over him, and Kuroo hops back up to shoot him in the back. Turning, he sees Kozume staking the last one. He straightens, turning to look at Kuroo.

"Good job," Kuroo says, unable to help but admit it.

Kozume blinks at him, before collapsing.

"Shit." Kuroo jumps forward instinctively, but stops himself before he gets within reach. "What's wrong?"

"Th-thirsty," Kozume says, clutching at his neck.

Kuroo steps back. "You just drank!" He glances at his watch. "Two hours ago!"

Kozume gives him a withering look. "New vampire," he reminds him. "H-have to drink . . . more frequently."

He rolls onto his stomach, reaching for Kuroo. Kuroo shakes his head. "Absolutely not," he says. "I told you, you're not drinking from me."

Kozume scowls. "Just help me up, asshole," he mutters.

Kuroo can hear multiple alarm bells going off in his head. While it's true that Kozume's had ample time to attack him the past few weeks, he hasn't. Still, every nerve in Kuroo's body is telling him to get the hell away. Kozume's hand trembles. Starts to fall.

Cursing inwardly, Kuroo snatches it before it can hit the ground. With a yank, he pulls Kozume to his feet, allowing him to lean against him. Kozume turns his head into Kuroo's chest, inhaling. A shiver runs through him, but he doesn't bite.

"Warm," he murmurs.

Kuroo holsters his gun and picks up the crossbow, swinging it onto his back. "Don't think just because you didn't betray me, that means I trust you now," he says, as he makes his way out of the alley, supporting Kozume as they go.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Kozume says, eyes on the ground.

"Yeah, well, sorry if I don't believe the word a vampire," Kuroo says.

"I didn't kill your parents."

Kuroo grimaces, guilt once more smacking his chest. "I know," he says through gritted teeth. "But you represent those that did. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of what happened to them. The only reason I've kept you around is to help me find out who killed them. That's all. Once I've brought them to justice, you and I are going our separate ways, and I hope I never see you again."

Kozume falls silent.

That last part was a little harsh, perhaps unnecessary, but disappointment and frustration cloud Kuroo's mind. It's clear to him now that these vampires they just killed are not the same ones that killed his parents. Those had been organized, a true coven, perhaps. Vampire hunter hunters, maybe. These they encountered tonight weren't powerful or well-trained. The dispatch was much too easy. They probably weren't even the ones that attacked the house last night. Which means Kuroo has to return home without even accomplishing what he meant to do.

When they reach the house, Kuroo drops Kozume onto the couch. He stalks into the kitchen and grabs a bag of blood, tossing it onto Kozume's chest.

Immediately, without even trying to heat it up, Kozume tears into the bag. Blood spurts across his face, drenching it, and Kuroo turns away in disgust.

"I'm going back out," he says. "I have to find the ones that attacked the family in Nerima. They might know the vampires that killed my parents."

He heads for the door. "You stay here," he says flatly. "And don't get blood on my couch."

He slams the door behind him with a little more force than necessary, before jogging down the driveway and disappearing into the night.

 

 

***

 

 

Kenma's lying in a pool of his own blood. It's warm, sticky. Blood used to frighten him as a kid, and he expects to be afraid now. Only, he isn't. Instead, he's parched. More thirsty than he's ever been in his life. And the blood beneath him smells stale but good. He turns onto his side, licking at the floor. He sucks and licks until there's a section of floor completely clean. He's about to move on to another spot when his mind clears enough to realize what he's doing.

Disgusted, he sits up, scrambling away from the blood. He doesn't recognize the place until he stands, hand pressed against the cool concrete of his college dorm. There's blood there too, splattered against the white. It's everywhere, everywhere Kenma can see. He stumbles away. He has to get out of here.

He breaks into a run, head down, legs pumping. He runs faster than he ever has in his life.

Straight into the arms of a man. A hunter.

Kuroo Tetsurou.

He holds him close, stroking his hair, as Kenma trembles against his chest.

"It's okay. You're okay now," Kuroo says softly into his ear. "You're safe. Nothing is going to hurt you."

 

 

 

Kenma opens his eyes. The warm bliss of the dream fades, as cold reality confronts him. He's lying alone in the spare room of Kuroo's house. He stares at the blackout curtains in front of him. The alarm clock beside the bed says it's only four in the afternoon, so the sun probably hasn't set yet.

Kuroo hadn't come home by the time Kenma went to bed, as the sun began to rise. He contemplates getting up and checking on him in his room, to make sure he made it back safely, but he remembers how Kuroo reacted the last time he went into his room uninvited.

Best not.

Sighing, Kenma rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling and trying to hold onto the image in his dream, though already it's starting to fade.

That isn't how it happened, anyway.

There was no embrace; no sense of security. Only a young man tired from a day's worth of hunting, and a month old vampire tired of living.

He remembers staring down the barrel of Kuroo's gun and thinking, _At least my parents will be safe now_. He waited for Kuroo to pull the trigger, but he never did. Instead, strangely, he lowered the gun. Then he told Kenma to follow him.

Kenma did, and Kuroo led him here.

Too agitated to go back to sleep, Kenma pushes back the covers and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. Kuroo's shirt that he's taken to sleep in is bunched up around his hips, revealing his pale legs. Kenma stares down at them. They never used to be this pale. They used to look healthy, blood running through their veins, giving him strength, keeping him alive. Now he has to get that strength from others' blood.

He stands, stretching his arms over his head. The shirt smells like Kuroo, even now.  He presses the collar of it against his nose, inhaling deeply. He wonders if Kuroo realizes how good he smells, how much of a daily struggle it is for Kenma not to take a bite. But Kenma knows the instant he crosses that line, his life is forfeit.

Sometimes he wonders if that would be so bad. Dying with the delicious blood of an attractive man in his mouth. But then he thinks of how Kuroo will look at him; how it'll just be confirmation of everything Kuroo believes about vampires. He'll be betrayed, disgusted.

Kenma doesn't want to disgust Kuroo any more than he wants to prove the man right about him.

He's _not_ like the other vampires. He'll prove it somehow.

Padding into the living room, Kenma plants himself in front of the TV, turning on the PS4 console. He busies himself with playing Overwatch, passing the time until Kuroo steps out of his room. Yawning, he scratches the back of his head, as he enters the living room. Kenma glances over, biting his lip as he watches the muscles of Kuroo's torso shift underneath his tight black shirt. He hasn't changed out of his clothes from the night before. Kenma wonders just how late Kuroo stayed out.

He wrinkles his nose once he catches a whiff of alcohol.

"You went out drinking," he says.

"Good evening to you too," Kuroo says, continuing on his way to the kitchen to make coffee. Kenma pauses the game, hopping to his feet and following.

Kuroo shuffles over to the coffee maker, his eyes still drooping with sleep. It's rather cute, though Kenma refrains from saying as such. Once the coffee is brewing, Kuroo turns to look at him. His eyes flicker briefly to Kenma's bare legs, before they find his face once more. He looks annoyed.

"Are you, like, allergic to pants or something?" he asks irritably.

"They're uncomfortable," Kenma says, blinking back at him.

He's well aware of Kuroo's attraction to him. The obvious biological signs have been present since soon after they started living under the same roof. But the signs of guilt and irritation are there too. Kuroo hates the fact that he's attracted to Kenma, which takes most of the fun out of teasing him.

Kenma can't always help himself, however. He likes seeing Kuroo's face turn red.

Besides, it provides harmless payback for when Kenma's annoyed with Kuroo's behavior. Like he is now.

He stretches one arm behind his head, pulling down on his elbow, as he asks, "Did you find the vampires you were looking for?"

He doesn't miss the way Kuroo's eyes fall to his thighs. They linger only briefly, though, before Kuroo turns back to the coffee pot.

"No," he replies sullenly. "I found a few but . . . none of the ones that attacked the house. And none of the ones that killed my parents."

"So you went out drinking with Bokuto," Kenma surmised.

Kuroo doesn't reply, but Kenma knows he's right. As he watches Kuroo pop an aspirin and swallow it down with coffee, he thinks over last night's events. He could've helped Kuroo cover more ground if he'd only stayed behind long enough to let Kenma get his strength back. He wonders if Kuroo realizes this.

"Take me with you, next time," he says, stepping closer.

Kuroo moves away to sit at the table, nursing his mug in his hand. "I didn't need you," he mutters around the rim, as he takes a sip.

Kenma bites his lip, that stinging more than he thought it would. "If you don't need me, why am I here?" he asks, lifting his arms to the side.

"To help me find out who killed my parents."

"So you've said. But what exactly is your plan for that?"

Kuroo frowns. "My _plan_ is to train you in combat so you know how to defend yourself. Then I want you to find a coven and infiltrate it. One of those bloodsucking cults _has_ to know something. The Kuroos weren't nobodies. They were well-known and respected hunters."

Kenma crosses his arms, digging his nails into his arms. "Once I infiltrate a coven, then what?"

"You'll report back to me what you find. Once I know who I'm looking for, I'll go after them. Then, like I said, you and I will go our separate ways."

Kenma looks to the floor. He knew the only reason why a hunter would spare his life was because he'd be of some sort of use to them. He knew that the second Kuroo lowered his gun and told him to follow him. He supposes being useful is better than being a monster. He never wanted this life. He never wanted to be a creature feared and hated by everyone.

But he's stuck like this now, and he doesn't want to live or die knowing he could've helped save someone from his same fate and didn't. What would his parents think of their son if they ever found out?

"Come on," Kuroo says, standing. "Get dressed. It's time to train."

 

 

-

 

 

The training part of the agreement always seems like a contradiction, to Kenma. For one thing, why is Kuroo comfortable teaching him how to fight when he doesn't trust him? He supposes Kuroo must believe the end justifies the means, and that, with Kenma in a weakened state due to a lack of fresh blood, he never has to fear that Kenma will be able to overpower him.

However, strength isn't the only way to defeat an opponent, something Kuroo should have realized. The man is certainly not stupid, but Kenma's noticed how his judgment lapses when he believes something strongly enough. (Case in point: his distrust of Kenma.)

So it shouldn't be that surprising when, while training after yet another failed hunt a couple months later, Kenma's able to outsmart Kuroo, use his height and strength against him, and pin him to the ground.

"What just happened?" Kuroo asks, blinking up at him.

Kenma smirks from where he's kneeling, one leg on the grass, the other pressed into Kuroo's chest, as he holds a stake against the man's jugular.

"You're distracted," Kenma informs him. "You're thinking too much."

He's holding one of Kuroo's arms against his side with his knee, and the other he has pinned above Kuroo's head, hand clasped around his wrist. He can feel Kuroo's pulse beneath his skin, and his fangs elongate. He quickly purses his lips to keep them from showing.

He's warm, and smells good. So good. Kenma can't help but turn his gaze to Kuroo's neck. He stares at the pulse point there, and it's like he can _see_ the blood rushing through his veins, hear it, feel it.

"You bite me, you die," Kuroo murmurs. 

Kenma blinks, lifting his gaze. Kuroo is watching him closely, jaw line tight. He loosens his grasp, about to stand, but Kuroo uses the opportunity to flip them over, slamming Kenma into the dirt. He grimaces, pain shooting up his spine. Kuroo looms over him, stake pressed against Kenma's chest.

"If you want to do it, just do it," Kenma says, eyes on Kuroo's face.

It's barely perceptible, but Kuroo's features flinch. _He doesn't want to kill me_. Kenma hopes that's what that means, but instead of moving off him, Kuroo simply tilts his head.

"This isn't the first time you've surrendered your life to me," he says. "Do you care that little about it?"

Kenma blinks. "I didn't choose to become what I am. I was forcibly turned. My parents think I'm dead. Sometimes, I think . . . maybe it'd be better if I really was."

Kuroo slips the stake into his pocket, sitting back on his heels. Kenma's still trapped beneath him, so all he can do is stare up at him, as Kuroo places his hands on his knees.

"You still have use to me. I have no intention of killing you."

Kenma sits up on his elbows. "I have no intention either," he admits. "You know you're going to have to eventually trust me. If you send me into a coven, you're going to have to trust that I'll come back to you."

Kuroo looks away. "I know."

Kenma struggles to sit up all the way. He lifts his hand, placing it on Kuroo's shoulder to balance himself. He feels the twitch of Kuroo's skin beneath his shirt, but he doesn't wrench away from him. Instead, he turns back to meet his gaze.

"I might have to trust you, but you'll always be one of them," Kuroo says in a low voice. "You might not've chosen it, but it's what you are now. And I'll never be able to forget that."

Kenma feels the words like a stab to his heart. _I'm not one of them!_ he wants to scream. _I'm just as human as you are!_ But he knows that's not true. He's no longer human. There will always be that divide between him and Kuroo.

Kuroo stands abruptly, knocking Kenma back onto the ground. He turns without a word, heading back into the house.

Kenma watches him go. His dream from two months ago resurfaces, and he sees himself in Kuroo's arms. Safe. Comforted. 

Loved.

He's starting to realize he's never going to experience those feelings again.

 

 

***

 

 

Kozume is becoming more of a nuisance than Kuroo originally anticipated.

There's no doubt that he's growing as a fighter. Despite the fact that he would rather stay inside and play video games, Kozume's combat skills are improving. Although his diet leaves him weaker than the average vampire, under Kuroo's training he becomes faster and stronger and, as a result, more useful in the field.

As time passes, however, he's also becoming more difficult to hate.

And that fact irritates the hell out of Kuroo.

As he proves himself time and again that he's not a threat to Kuroo, his adorableness becomes that much more apparent. And there's the fact that he's more than once helped Kuroo out of a bind while hunting. He's patched up Kuroo's wounds, fixed him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And even _Bokuto_ , when meeting Kozume for the first time, admits to Kuroo: "He's not that bad! You know, for a vamp."

Then again, Bokuto finds it hard to hate anyone.

Kuroo's cultivated this hatred since he was eight years old and saw the bed his parents were slaughtered in. It's what drives him to find the vampires that killed them; it's what fuels him to keep fighting to bring them to justice.

Everything within him tells him he has to hate Kozume and his kind.

But more and more he's discovering that Kozume's not really like any of his kind.

Where vampires are bloodthirsty and cruel, Kozume has restraint and has only ever cared for Kuroo without spite or expecting the same treatment in return. Where vampires cause senseless violence and destruction, Kozume fights alongside Kuroo to help bring peace and order to the streets of Tokyo.

He's proven himself time and again to be trustworthy, but Kuroo's still clinging to that old fear, those bloody sheets, the feelings of grief and rage that pressed against the walls of his chest.

Justice, no, revenge. That's all he's lived for these past twelve years. Without that . . . who is he? Is he even Kuroo Tetsurou anymore? He doesn't remember a life before his parents' death. Those memories have been buried deep beneath pain and anger.

But, sometimes, when eating dinner with Kozume, playing video games those times Kozume can convince him to join in . . . he'll feel a strange lightness in his chest, and flickers of times spent like this with his parents will filter in through the darkness of his mind. He's reminded of what he's lost but at the same time . . . there's a certain type of bitter sweetness that comes with the memories.

And yet that fear of losing his identity remains, and once he realizes this fear, he tries his best to put distance between him and Kozume.

He has to see him as a vampire, nothing else. They're partners, perhaps. But nothing more. Not companions. Not friends. Kozume represents the enemy. You don't make friends with the enemy.

 

 

-

 

 

His stubbornness nearly costs them their lives.

They're on a hunt. Five months after the attack in Nerima. He's positive they're on the right trail this time. Kozume went to a vampire exclusive club and gathered some intelligence. He also described some of the activities that he'd seen there, just to make Kuroo squirm. The brat.

But the information is good. They find out what house was going to be hit next and they set off for it. They catch the vampires breaking in a second story window around the back of the house. Kozume tells Kuroo to stay on the vampires, while he goes inside to get the family out of harm's way.

Kuroo, full of doubt and afraid Kozume will surely take this opportunity to drain the family of blood and blame the attacking vampires, tells him to stay outside and goes in himself.

 _He's been trained for this. He'll be fine_ , he reassures himself, before remembering he's not supposed to care if Kozume's fine or not.

He locates the family, a mother and father and young son. He freezes in the doorway. It's like he's seeing himself, cowering in the corner with his parents, crying, clinging to them, not knowing what's going on.

Kozume appears beside him. "I managed to take out a few, but there's too many of them. What are you doing?"

Kuroo blinks. "What?"

"You! Get out of here!" Kozume turns to the family, stepping toward them quickly.

Suddenly, Kozume isn't his partner, isn't an ally. He's a vampire, and he's about to attack Kuroo's family.

"Don't touch them!"

He grabs Kozume's arm, flinging him across the room. His face cracks against the edge of a dresser, and he falls to the floor in a slump. Kuroo turns to the family. He sees the fear in their eyes, and his stomach twists.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he assures them.

There's a crash downstairs. The vampires are getting in. Hurriedly, he goes to the window. Flinging it open, he looks down, but there may be more vampires waiting in the shadows. He turns to the father. "Get your family into the closet and don't come out until I tell you to," he says.

The man nods, grabbing his wife and son and pushing them into the master bedroom's closet. Kuroo turns to Kozume, but he's still out cold. The door bursts open, flying so wide it swings off one of the hinges.

"We're thirsty!" the first one yells. "Where's the humans?!"

"Only human here is me," Kuroo says, notching an arrow to his bow.

The vampires pour in. Kuroo fires one shot after another, ducking under lunges, kicking and punching when they get too close. A claw rakes across his arm, another gets him in the back. There are at least ten of them, and each time Kuroo dusts one, another seems to take its place.

Pain erupts in his shoulder, as he's grabbed from behind and fangs pierce his skin. He shouts, grabbing his pistol and firing at the vampire's head. This doesn't kill it, but it does release him, stumbling back and clutching its head. He fires again, this time in the chest. It explodes into dust, and Kuroo finds himself flying forward, as another knocks into him.

He manages to roll over onto his back, but the vampire grabs his wrists, knocking the pistol out of his hand. It opens its mouth, fangs dripping venom, and fear grips Kuroo's stomach.

_I can't die. Not until I've avenged Mom and Dad!_

The fangs descend, and Kuroo squeezes his eyes shut.

A shot rings out. The weight above him disappears. Dust covers his face, and Kuroo sits up with a cough, rapidly swiping at his face. When he opens his eyes, he sees Kenma standing in front of him, blood dripping from a wound in his forehead. It's crushed in, bone sticking out, but he still stands, trembling, pistol pointed at Kuroo's face.

Something akin to guilt twists in Kuroo's stomach, and his chest aches strangely. He holds up his hands.

"Kozume . . ."

"I. am not. the enemy." Kozume says through clenched teeth, shaking the pistol with each pause for emphasis. "I am not one of them."

Kuroo swallows hard. "Kozume, put the gun down."

"Say it."

"Koz—"

"Say I'm not one of them!"

Kuroo moves to stand. Kozume doesn't move, as Kuroo snatches the gun from him. Up close, the wound in his head looks worse, and Kuroo feels nauseous. Before he can stop himself, he reaches for it. Kozume slaps his hand away.

He walks past him, flinging wide the closet doors. Kuroo hears the small scream of the wife, the shout of "Don't hurt us!" from the man. When he turns around, he sees Kozume standing in front of the closet, hands limp at his sides, as the family cowers in front of him.

Without a word, he turns and stalks toward the door. Kuroo holsters the weapon, before picking up his bow.

"It's okay," he tells the man. "He's with me."

"He-he's a vampire!" the man whispers hoarsely.

Kuroo looks at the dust beneath his feet. The remains of the vampire that nearly killed him. If it wasn't for Kozume.

"I know."

 

 

-

 

 

It takes two and a half bags of blood before Kozume's forehead heals itself completely. Kuroo's wounds, on the other hand, take a bit more care. He's able to treat and bandage the bite on his shoulder, the scratches on his arm, but the one on his back he's not quite able to reach.

He twists and turns in front of the mirror in the bathroom, until he hears Kozume's quiet voice:

"Hold still."

Kuroo freezes, as gentle fingers pull the swab of alcohol from his hand. He winces at the sting, as Kozume cleans the wound with careful strokes, before taking a patch of gauze and taping it over the marks. Kuroo stares at his reflection in the mirror, ashamed of his behavior. Even if Kozume is a vampire, he did not behave like a hunter tonight. Kozume is his ally, and yet he attacked him mindlessly, unable to make the distinction between his partner and the enemy. If his parents could see him now . . . they would not be proud.

Kozume throws away the bloody swab before turning to leave. Kuroo reaches out to take his arm, gentler this time, though Kozume still flinches.

"What I did tonight . . . it was wrong," Kuroo says, staring at the floor between them. "When I saw that family . . . I wasn't thinking clearly. I reacted out of fear. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He looks up to see Kozume pursing his lips. "It will happen again," he says flatly.

Indignation rises in Kuroo. "I _just_ said—"

Kozume holds up his hand, cutting him off. "It _will_ happen again as long as you keep seeing me as one of them. As long as you look at me and see a monster, a-a killer . . . you're always going to react that way."

Kuroo bites his lip, hard. He knows Kozume is right, but it's not like he can just flip a switch on twelve years of conditioning. However, there is one thing he can admit.

"You're not one of them," he says quietly, it being easier to say that he thought it'd be.

Kozume's eyes widen. His lips part, and Kuroo is overcome with an urge to touch them. For a moment, one brief moment, he allows himself this single thing. He lifts his hand and sets his thumb against the middle of Kozume's lower lip. He feels Kozume grow still under his touch, and he indulges himself with a single swipe along the soft skin. He sees the glint of fangs then, watches as they elongate to peek out from beneath Kozume's upper lip. He sighs softly, letting his hand fall away.

"You might not be one of them," he amends, "but you're still a vampire."

His chest aches once more, as he steps past Kozume into the hallway. As he makes for his bedroom, his mind circles around a single thought:

_If only you were human . . ._

***

 

 

Some things get better. Kenma no longer feels hostility coming from Kuroo. The man no longer looks at him with hatred or disgust. They train more like partners and less like enemies. When they go on patrol, Kuroo will listen to Kenma's suggestions and take them under advisement, sometimes even follow them if they prove more useful.

But other things remain the same. He never seems quite comfortable around Kenma. Kenma will sense him watching him, but the second he turns around, Kuroo's moved his gaze away. He puts distance between them when they're standing or sitting together, shifting subtly in the opposite direction under the guise of doing something else.

Kenma has no idea what happened in the bathroom that night, why Kuroo touched his lip so tenderly, momentarily bridged that gap between them. He thought, maybe, perhaps, Kuroo finally saw him as an equal, someone who could be desired, even loved. But then he pulled shut that door and locked it, throwing away the key, leaving Kenma disoriented and wanting.

A month after the incident, Kuroo declares him ready to start looking for a coven to infiltrate. Although Kenma should be grateful for this sign of trust, he can't help but feel reluctant to leave. He lingers in the doorway, but Kuroo turns away immediately after giving him his assigned ward, and the place where he'll find the coven. 

Kenma's nervous.

He hasn't been out on his own for over eight months. He's gotten used to Kuroo's companionship, as strained and awkward as it is. And there's a part of him, larger than he'd like to admit, that hopes he never finds the vampires Kuroo's looking for. As long as he's still on the hunt, Kenma is still useful.

As long as Kuroo's still searching, he'll keep Kenma around.

"You looking for something, kid?"

A tall man leans against the wall of an alley, his features hidden in shadow. Kenma stuffs his hands deeper into the pockets of his hoodie, hunched over to make himself appear as small and harmless as possible.

"I heard there's a coven here that might need new members," Kenma says in a soft voice.

The man pushes off the wall, stepping closer. Kenma takes a step back instinctively. Standing straight, the man is taller than he initially thought.

"You stink of human," the man says, sniffing.

"I stole these clothes."

"Arms out."

Kenma's stomach flips, but he slowly draws his hands out of his pockets and allows the man to search him for weapons. The pat down is quick, and the man studies his face afterwards.

"Show them to me."

Kenma bites his lip. He's always tried to be so careful not to display his fangs, knowing how much Kuroo hates the sight of them. But now he allows them to elongate, and he bares his teeth.

The man nods. "Follow me," he says, beckoning.

Kenma follows him into the alleyway, keeping close as the man pushes open a door. It leads into the kitchen of a restaurant, but instead of taking him to the front, the man continues passed the chefs to the freezer door. Inside, he lifts a trapdoor in the floor, revealing a staircase that descends into a dark basement.

Kenma hesitates, but when the man's eyes narrow, he quickly descends.

 

 

-

 

 

The sun is just beginning to rise, as Kenma slips back into the house. He tugs off his shoes, passing the back of his hand over his mouth one last time. Convinced there's nothing there, he steps further in and finds Kuroo lying on the couch, one arm folded over his face. Kenma reaches out to touch his elbow, and quickly steps back to avoid getting punched.

"Oh, it's you," Kuroo says, yawning, as he sits up. "How did it go?"

"Yoshida Ichirou."

Kuroo freezes. "What?"

Kenma looks down at his hands, fiddling with the edge of his hoodie sleeves. He sees a spot of blood and quickly covers it with his fingers, a shiver running through him.

"That's the name of the leader of the coven that killed your parents. He lives in Kita."

Kuroo frowns. "Kita . . . but my parents were killed in Nerima. Why would he send his coven all the way to Nerima just to kill them?"

Kenma shrugs. "You said they were well-known."

Kuroo stares down at the floor. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe he didn't order the attack. Maybe he wasn't the leader then and they moved to Kita after they killed your parents so they wouldn't get caught." Kenma ventures a step closer. "We can go tomorrow night."

Kuroo lifts his head, eyes narrowing. "You picked up this information rather quickly. How did you manage it?"

Kenma looks away. "They were gluttons. Once they were drunk on blood, they pretty much told me whatever I wanted to know."

"Did you drink with them?" There's steel beneath Kuroo's voice.

Kenma squirms. "I . . . had to make them think I was one of them . . ."

"How many?"

Kenma startles, lifting his gaze. Kuroo's expression is stone.

"How many did you kill?"

Kenma swallows hard. "None."

Kuroo gaze turns skeptical.

"It was . . . difficult. Really difficult. But I held back. I didn't let myself lose control."

"I find that hard to believe." Kuroo stands. "You haven't had human blood in over eight months. You must have been craving it. I highly doubt your self-control was that good."

Kenma meets his stare flatly. "You try living with someone that smells as good as you do for eight months without taking a single bite and then get back to me on how good my self-control is."

Kuroo's jaw tightens.

_I got the information you wanted. Aren't you glad? Happy? Proud? Why are you fixating on whether or not I killed someone?_

Kuroo turns away. "I'm going to bed. We'll follow up about Kita tomorrow."

Kuroo waves him off. He disappears down the hall, and Kenma hears his bedroom door slam shut. Looking down at his sleeves, he picks at the stain with a fingernail. Flakes fall away, and Kenma shudders, remembering the way the woman felt in his arms, how terrified she'd been until the effects of the venom took hold.

Sitting on the couch, he pulls his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. People don't lose their humanity just because they've been turned. The vampires that cause harm and chaos are that way because they've either given up on their humanity, convinced themselves they're the monsters everyone claims they are, or they were depraved from the start.

_Am I going to end up that way?_

Kenma looks toward the hall where Kuroo disappeared. He doesn't want to be a monster. The thought of proving Kuroo right, of the man hating him with as much hatred as he hates the vampires that killed his parents . . . that thought causes whatever's left of his heart to ache.

His parents wouldn't want him to be a monster. And Kuroo . . .

Kuroo needs someone he can trust. Someone he can rely on. Someone who can show him the world isn't as awful and terrible as he believes it is. Someone who can show him that, even though his parents are gone, he's not alone. He doesn't need to be alone.

Kenma lowers his feet to the floor. Standing, he makes his way to his bedroom and gets changed for bed. He brushes his teeth vigorously, attempting to rid them of the stench of blood as best he can.

He hesitates outside Kuroo's room. Reaching out, his fingers linger on the door before falling away.

He goes to his room and lies down. As the sun begins to rise, he drifts off to sleep.

Only to be awakened not three hours later to the sound of a scream.

Kenma bolts upright in bed. He recognizes the voice, of course. It's Kuroo, most likely having another nightmare. Biting his lip, Kenma clutches his covers, remembering how Kuroo reacted the last time he heard that blood-curdling noise.

No, it doesn't matter. If there's anything Kenma can do, he'll do it. He has to try.

Kuroo's face is smashed between two pillows. He grips them close to his head as though he can drown out whatever horror he's facing in his nightmare. Kenma can see the stake he usually keeps beneath his pillow on the floor where he must have knocked it off the bed. Approaching cautiously, he kicks it beneath the bed for good measure, before pressing his hand against Kuroo's bare shoulder.

Instantly, Kuroo's hand reaches out to grab Kenma's neck. It curls around it, squeezing. Kenma doesn't need to breathe, but it _hurts_ , and he grabs Kuroo's forearm and wrist to try to escape. Kuroo sits up, dragging Kenma onto the bed until their faces are inches apart. His gaze is unfocused, his mind far away. He snarls, and this close to him, Kenma can see the tears that are streaming down his cheeks.

Chest aching, Kenma releases his arm to take his head in both hands instead.

"Kuroo," he gasps out as best he can past the pressure against his windpipe. "Kuroo, stop. You're okay. It's just a dream."

Slowly, he wipes the tears from Kuroo's eyes, passing his thumbs gently over each, one after the other. Kuroo blinks, his gaze clearing. Abruptly, his hand falls away from Kenma's neck, but Kenma still holds him fast.

"Look at me. _Look at me._ "

Kuroo blinks again, focusing on Kenma's face.

"You're okay," Kenma says again, firmly. "Nothing here is going to hurt you. It was just a dream."

Kuroo lifts his hand once more, but instead of shoving Kenma away, he presses his palm against Kenma's face, pushing back his hair in order to see him more clearly. His hand cradles Kenma's head gently.

"What are you?" he asks hoarsely, relief and confusion warring on his features.

"I'm Kenma," Kenma says simply, leaning forward to kiss him.

It's a mistake, probably. Kenma's fully aware that this might be the last thing he'll ever do in this life. But, strangely, he has no regrets. He doesn't see a hunter before him in this moment. He sees a broken man, hurting, longing for the love and security that he lost as a child.

He wants to take away that pain. The comfort that Kenma keeps dreaming of, he wants to give it to Kuroo.

There's more to life than pain and suffering. There can be peace. There can be love. He just has to show Kuroo that.

Kuroo does nothing at the first touch of Kenma's lips. But just when Kenma's about to give up, to pull back and give this up as a lost cause, Kuroo's fingers press into his head, and his other arm moves to Kenma's waist. He pulls him closer, as he leans into the kiss, deepening it. Kenma shudders, as he feels the warmth of Kuroo's mouth, as it moves over his, hungry and eager.

He shifts closer, straddling Kuroo's lap and pushing against his chest, as he runs his fingers up into Kuroo's hair and grips the strands lightly. Kuroo moans, his fingers curling into the back of Kenma's sleep shirt, his other hand grasping at Kenma's hair as well.

Leaning back slightly, Kenma presses kisses against Kuroo's forehead, nose, and cheeks. He kisses away the tears that still linger, his heart threatening to burst from his chest. At least, it feels like it will. He aches, and he can feel Kuroo trembling under him.

"It's okay," he murmurs, stroking Kuroo's hair. "You're okay. Just breathe. There's nothing bad here. You're safe."

Kuroo's hand on his back runs down over his hip to his thigh. He slides it down until he reaches the hem of the shirt, pushing up underneath it then. Kenma feels the warmth of his fingers against his skin, the hard calluses of his palm rough against his thigh. He reaches the edge of Kenma's underwear and stops, as Kenma presses against his mouth once more.

This time, he licks along the seam. Kuroo opens for him, and inside he's warm and wet. Kenma shivers at the taste, and he can feel his fangs start to itch. They want to come out.

_Stay back. Please stay back._

Kuroo's tongue is soft, pliant against his. Kenma moans, shifting closer. Kuroo's thumb runs along the line of Kenma's underwear, and Kenma can feel the desire that's heating Kuroo's body, creating a hard bulge between his legs. Kenma rolls his hips, rocking down against it, and Kuroo inhales sharply through his nose. Kenma does it again, and swallows Kuroo's moan.

He's about to repeat the movement a third time, when Kuroo's hand suddenly tightens against his thigh. Kenma freezes. Pulling away, Kuroo blinks at him rapidly, before he chokes out a soft, "I can't."

Kenma's chest tightens. The warmth from before disappears, like someone just dumped ice cold water over him.

"Why?" he forces past the lump in his throat.

He looks into Kuroo's eyes, expecting disgust or shame. Instead, he sees sadness and guilt.

"You know why," Kuroo says, removing his hand from beneath Kenma's shirt. He wants to grab it and put it back, but he doesn't. He remains still as a statue, even as Kuroo lifts him off and sets him down on the mattress beside him.

"I'd like to forget," he continues, gazing past Kenma's shoulder. "But it's difficult. Too difficult, right now. I'm sorry."

Kenma bites his lip, wondering if this at least means Kuroo doesn't hate him anymore.

Kuroo turns his gaze back to him, giving him a wry smile. "Thanks for pulling me out of my nightmare. Is your neck okay?" He reaches out to touch it lightly with the pads of his fingers.

Kenma nods, everything still too overwhelming to give a proper response. Kuroo sighs. "I've treated you like shit for no reason other than my own prejudice. I'm going to work on that, I promise. I've never wanted to be this type of person." He grimaces, running a hand through his hair and looking away again. "When I was a kid I thought hunters were like super heroes." He barks a rough laugh. "I'm pretty much the farthest thing from heroic."

Kenma reaches out to put his hand over Kuroo's gently. Kuroo looks down at it before looking up into Kenma's face.

"I'm sorry."

Kenma nods again, pulling his hand away and moving off the bed. Kuroo doesn't call him back, doesn't say anything, and when he steps out into the hall, Kenma presses a hand over his chest where his heart would be beating quickly if it still worked.

_It's a step._

 

 

-

 

 

Kuroo goes with him to Kita. Not because he doesn't trust him, he says, but because he needs to see this coven for himself.

Neither of them mentions the kiss.

Despite the tense set of Kuroo's shoulders as they ride the last train into Kita, he sits beside Kenma, despite there being plenty of open seats. As the train rocks gently back and forth, Kenma feels his leg bump against his every so often, but Kuroo doesn't shift away. 

"We'll split up once we reach Kita," Kuroo says under his breath, eyes focused on the windows across from them. "I don't want them knowing you're with me. Try to infiltrate the group and find out where Yoshida is. We'll keep in contact with these."

Kuroo places a small earpiece in Kenma's hand. It's round and flesh-colored, able to blend in perfectly while hidden beneath his hair.

"These just came in yesterday," Kuroo says, grinning faintly. "Bokuto told me about them. They're supposed to work really well over long-distances and pick up even the quietest of sounds. Really high-tech."

Kenma slips the piece into his ear. Kuroo does the same, before pressing against it and whispering, "Can you hear me?"

Kenma nods, Kuroo's voice sounding in his ear as clear as if he were talking normally.

"Once you locate Yoshida, let me know. We'll take him down together."

"Shouldn't we have back up? If this group is as organized as you think, we might not be able to take them down with just the two of us."

Kuroo pouts. "You're right," he concedes. "Okay, new plan. Recon only. Once we figure out where he lives and what his routine is like, we'll call Bokuto and Akaashi in."

Kenma hasn't met Akaashi, though he knows from Bokuto that the man has a hatred for vampires that nearly rivals Kuroo's own. He's not sure he's ready to meet someone like that, or if he'd be willing to work with Kenma at all.

He feels a slight jostle against his shoulder and starts in surprise when he realizes Kuroo just nudged him playfully.

"Don't worry," he says with a smirk. "I won't let Akaashi kill you."

Kenma huffs. "You say that like I can't take care of myself. You should be reassuring Akaashi that _I_ won't kill _him._ "

Kuroo looks away. "I already have."

Kenma blinks. When had _that_ conversation taken place? Before the kiss?

Warmth fills his chest, and he has to bite back a smile, as he looks down at his hands in his lap.

The train arrives in Kita a little after 20:00, so the city is still awake for the most part. Kuroo and Kenma blend in with the crowd, walking together for some distance before reaching the rendezvous point. There, they go their separate ways, but not before Kuroo takes his hand to give it a small squeeze and whispers, "good luck."

It's strange how much has changed since the kiss three nights ago. Kenma knows Kuroo probably doesn't see him as anything more than a partner, maybe a friend, but the kiss symbolized more than just that, to Kenma. He saw a vulnerable side of Kuroo, that night. Kuroo allowed him to see it. The trust between them has grown deeper. Kenma can sense it.

Will he still want Kenma to leave after they complete this mission?

Kenma's so deep in thought that he runs into a couple walking the opposite direction, stumbling. The woman grabs his shoulders to keep him from falling, and Kenma immediately senses the lack of heartbeat, registers the coldness of her skin.

"Whoa there, careful now! That could've been a nasty fall," she says with a smile, steadying him. "You should watch where you're going, young man."

Kenma blinks at her, as she winks, dark gold eyes shining beneath a mess of black hair. The man beside her, tall and lean, with sharp cheekbones and even sharper eyes, wraps his arm around his wife's waist, steering her around Kenma.

Kenma watches them fade into the crowd, one hand moving toward his ear. He freezes before he presses the ear piece, though, as sudden doubt grips him. Kuroo's parents are dead. Just because these two vampires resembled them, that doesn't mean they _are_ them. To get Kuroo's hopes up, only to find out that he was wrong . . . Kenma can't do that to him.

He has to make sure first.

He turns, meaning to follow the couple, but they've disappeared. When he tries to catch their scent, he's bombarded on all sides with conflicting smells. Humans, animals, the bakery across the street, the fragrance store a few streets down and across.

Kenma rubs his nose, frustration building.

"Kozume, what's your status?"

Kenma flinches, his concentration broken. "I haven't discovered anything yet," he responds, turning back around and making his way toward a less populated part of the ward. An organized coven would surely have their own place, not some underground blood orgy room. He shudders, as unwanted images rise in his mind. He pushes them back as best he can, breaking into a light jog.

As the night grows darker, and people begin to retire, the streets empty, making it easier for Kenma to sniff out where vampires might be lurking. He passes through each alleyway, looking for signs, but despite the lack of distractions, he still finds nothing.

He frowns. He's sure his information is correct. There was no reason for the vampires in Nerima to lie. Drunk on blood as they were, they would have confessed to anything. And they did, answering questions Kenma hadn't even asked.

Maybe the last they'd heard of Yoshida was that he and his coven were in Kita. Maybe their intel was outdated. Sighing, Kenma presses his earpiece.

"I'm not finding anything. No trace of vampire activity anywhere."

"Yeah, I'm not having much luck on my end either," Kuroo admits. "It's weird. I haven't come across a ward yet that's untouched by vampires. Something's going on here."

"Without any leads, we don't have anywhere to start. We can't exactly start questioning people. That will raise suspicions." Kenma thinks of the vampires he encountered on the street, the ones that appeared so familiar. They could have been just passing through.

Doubling back, Kenma makes his way to the rendezvous point.

"If this coven is organized, they might not operate by lurking in the shadows waiting for unlucky victims. They might target people specifically, which makes them harder to track seeing as we know nothing about them."

"We know they like to target hunters," Kenma points out quietly. "Maybe a hunter should pose as bait."

"You mean you want us to pose as bait?" Kuroo asks, and Kenma can hear the smirk in his voice.

"No," Kenma admits. "They'd know straight away I was a vampire."

"Guess we'll have to call in those reinforcements."

 

 

-

 

 

"You want us to go undercover?" Bokuto Koutarou asks, his eyes widen with excitement.

"More like . . . overcover," Kuroo corrects.

Kenma sits perched on the arm of the couch, Kuroo standing beside him, while Bokuto practically vibrates in front of him.

Against the wall, Akaashi Keiji fiddles with a wooden knife, intricately carved, his gaze fixed on Kenma. Kenma shifts uncomfortably, turning his eyes onto Kuroo, who continues explaining his idea.

"You and Akaashi aren't going to be posing as anything. You'll be yourselves, hunters, moving into Kita to start a new life. If Yoshida and his coven are there, according to their m.o. they'll try to kill you. I'm sure you guys can handle yourselves, but Kenma and I will stay close and have your backs."

"Sounds like a plan!" Bokuto says, nodding rapidly.

"I don't like it," Akaashi says, pursing his lips. He points the knife at Kenma. "How do we know that one won't double-cross us?"

Kuroo places his hand on Kenma's shoulder. "Kozume's had my back for eight months now. He's had multiple opportunities to betray me, and he hasn't. I trust him."

Kenma's stomach churns, and he stares down at the floor, a vision of a mane of dark hair and sparkling gold eyes filling his mind. He pushes it back as best he can.

Akaashi narrows his eyes. "I still don't like it."

"Come on, Akaashi! It'll be fun! Just you and me, playing house, then kicking vampire ass!" Bokuto grins at his partner.

Akaashi's expression softens, and Kuroo's hand feels heavy on Kenma's shoulder. He shrugs it off, standing and making his way to the kitchen to heat up some blood. He doesn't need to drink as often any more (his body able to withstand longer periods of thirst), but it's a good excuse to get away from those in the living room.

He heats it up, ignoring the fact that the smell might irritate the hunters. As he leans against the counter to sip it, he hears Kuroo say goodbye to the others, before the man enters the kitchen.

"They're going to start the move-in process tomorrow. I have some connections in Kita to help speed things along. They should be settled within a week, and then we'll be ready to begin the stake out."

Kenma nods, drinking silently. Kuroo rubs the back of his neck, his other hand stuffed into his pocket.

"Sorry about Akaashi. He'll come around."

Kenma blinks, as Kuroo steps closer.

"I did," he adds, reaching up to touch Kenma's cheek lightly with the backs of his fingers.

Kenma forces himself to stay still, to not react as Kuroo brushes his hair behind his ear gently, fingertips lingering in the strands.

"If you were human . . ." he starts, before stopping abruptly, biting his lip.

Kenma's throat feels tight. Kuroo sighs, turning away.

"I guess it doesn't matter."

He leaves the room, and Kenma sets down his mug, his appetite waning.

_I should tell him . . ._

But then what? How would Kuroo react to knowing his parents are alive but vampires? Wouldn't that just break his heart? And what if they're not even his parents? That would hurt him too.

There's no clear answer, and Kenma sees no path in front of him that doesn't lead to Kuroo getting hurt somehow.

It's better to keep quiet.

 

 

 

***

 

 

During the week in which Bokuto and Akaashi start working on getting a temporary place in Kita, Kuroo uses the down time as an opportunity to sort out his feelings about Kozume.

He can't stop thinking about the kiss.

In that moment, the warmth of being held and comforted took over any misgivings he had about what Kozume is. In that moment, he forgot that Kozume's a vampire. All he could focus on was the tender touch, the sweet taste, and the pleasant weight on top of him. He felt safe. He felt cared for in a way he hasn't felt in a very long time.

It was wonderful. He let himself get swept up in it, until his mind had cleared enough to realize what he was doing, and he pushed Kozume away.

It had been difficult, but Kuroo knows it was the right thing to do. No matter how much he may ache for companionship, he knows getting that close to Kozume isn't right. There's a clear distinction between vampire and human, and he can't cross that line. It'd be wrong. It'd disappoint his parents.

So he does his best to bury any blossoming feelings deep into the dirt. Kozume is his partner. That is all. That's all they should be. That's all they have to be. Nothing more.

It's still difficult. There's temptation to push the envelope just a smidge. To crack open Pandora's box just a little. He knows if he asks it's probable that Kozume would join him in bed. That if he asks, Kozume will open himself to him, let Kuroo take him. Kuroo's already given up on trying to keep his mind from wandering to such mental images when he gets himself off. He's not proud of it, but there's a difference between doing the act in his head and doing it in reality.

He knows it's unlikely he'll be able to keep his feelings out of it. They'd only grow stronger, and it'll be that much more difficult to send Kozume away once their mission is complete. But he has to part ways with him. A hunter and a vampire are not meant to be partners. They're not meant to be anything but enemies.

That's what he'd been taught, and that's a truth he's clung to all these years.

But whenever Kozume turns those large amber eyes onto him, bites down on that soft pouty lip, Kuroo finds his resolve waning, and he struggles to keep himself in check.

It's torture.

Bokuto and Akaashi call him Saturday night to say that they've moved in and are starting to get to know the neighbors. The plan is to make sure everyone knows they're hunters, so word can get back to the coven. Kuroo and Kozume's job is to keep an eye on the house, so Sunday night, they begin their stake out.

Knowing vampires will be able to sense Kozume's presence, Kuroo chooses a spot behind some bushes a few houses down. With Kozume's keen eyes and sense of smell, and Kuroo's binoculars, they hunch together behind the shrubbery and lie in wait.

"It's unlikely they'll strike so soon," Kuroo murmurs. "They'll probably want to figure out who they are and how they fight first. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

Kozume nods absently. Kuroo watches him from the corner of his eye. His partner has been quieter than usual this past week. Even with Kuroo distracted by his own thoughts and feelings, he's noticed. He wonders what Kozume has on his mind.

"Hey," he says quietly, lowering himself onto the grass. "Can I ask you a question?"

Kozume glances sidelong at him, but he doesn't relax. Or answer. But Kuroo takes that as an okay to go ahead.

"Once this is all over, are you going to find your parents?"

Kozume shakes his head. "No."

"Why not?" Kuroo asks. "They're still alive, aren't they?"

"Yes."

Kuroo stares at Kozume. "So? Why don't you go back to them? You've got better control than you used to, though honestly your control has been nothing but miraculous since I found you. You could have lived with them safely."

Kozume sighs. "I didn't go back for the same reason why you didn't trust me for so long. I'm a vampire. A monster in everyone's eyes. I didn't . . . I didn't want to see that in their eyes too."

"But you could change their mind," Kuroo says, reaching out to touch Kozume's shoulder lightly. "You changed mine."

Kozume gives him a look. "You still see me as a vampire. I don't want them to see me like that. Like I'm not their son anymore."

Kuroo turns his gaze to the ground. "I'm pretty sure a parent's love is stronger than that."

"Maybe. But it'd just make their lives more difficult." Kozume shakes his head again. "It's better this way."

"If my parents were still alive somewhere, I'd want to know."

Kozume falls silent, his eyes turning back toward the street. ". . . and if they were vampires?"

Kuroo's heart drops into his stomach. He knows he's being a hypocrite, but the thought of his parents being vampires makes him nauseous. Then again . . .

He's discovered from knowing Kozume that being turned doesn't necessarily mean you have to change. If Kozume's any indication of vampirism happening to good people, then Kuroo has no reason to suspect his parents will be evil monsters he'll have to kill. His chest aches.

"I'd still want to know," he decides with a nod.

Kozume's starts, looking at Kuroo with wide eyes. Kuroo gives him a crooked grin.

"They're my parents," he says helplessly. "I'd give anything to see them again."

Kozume's tongue darts out to lick his lips. He suddenly appears nervous, and Kuroo wonders what he said wrong. Before he can ask, however, Kozume stiffens, his eyes turning back toward the street.

"Someone's coming," he says, ducking lower behind the bushes. "A lot of someones."

Kuroo hunches beside him. "Vampires?"

Kozume nods.

Kuroo presses his earpiece. "Bokuto, Akaashi, we have incoming."

"How many?"

Kuroo turns to Kozume.

Kozume closes his eyes, concentrating. "Around ten, I think. Maybe. Their scents are blending together. I can't get an exact read."

Kuroo nods. "Prepare for at least ten," he says. "We'll wait for them to get inside before jumping in. We don't want to run the risk of them spotting us and splitting up."

"Roger that."

Kozume grabs Kuroo's wrist. "Kuroo, before we go in. I-I need to tell you something."

Kuroo shakes his head. "We can't let anything distract us now. Tell me later."

Distress crosses Kozume's features. "But—"

Kuroo clasps his hand over Kozume's mouth. He can hear the vampires approaching now, which means they're in hearing range too. He slowly pulls his hand away, gesturing for Kozume to stay quiet. Peering out from the bushes, he watches as the group of men and women in dark clothes approach the house Bokuto and Akaashi have rented for the month. They split up then, some going around the back while others attempt to enter the front. They move stealthily and appear organized. There are no loud or wasted movements.

Kuroo's heart pounds in his chest, speeding faster and faster.

_It's them. This is the coven I've been looking for._

He stands, gesturing for Kozume to follow him, as he darts across the street. The vampires are already inside, and Kuroo can hear the muffled sounds of fighting. _Of course, they want to keep things quiet so nobody alerts the police._

Kuroo withdraws his crossbow, fitting an arrow to it. Beside him, Kozume grips his stake. When they make eye contact, he gives Kuroo a brief nod.  Taking a deep breath, Kuroo enters the house.

It's chaos.

Bokuto and Akaashi are in the thick of it, punching and kicking, spinning and slashing with their wooden knives. They keep their backs to one another, moving in perfect sync. When Bokuto goes low, Akaashi goes high and vice versa. While the vampires' focus is on them, Kuroo starts firing at their unguarded backs. When they notice the intruders, half of them turn, launching themselves at Kuroo and Kozume. Kuroo's able to take one down immediately, but the other nearly knocks him over before Kozume darts in and stakes it.

Dust explodes, swirling in the air, as they rush forward to get closer to the action.

Even in the thick of the fighting, Kuroo notices how Kozume keeps hesitating before he dispatches of his vampires. They're a split second where he looks into the vampire's face, as though he's checking their identity. It's a small thing, but Kuroo can't help but fixate on it. Why is he being so careful? He's never done that before.

Was he truly a part of this coven all along? Has he been playing him this whole time?

Doubt curls around Kuroo's chest, and he completely misses the next vampire he tries to take out. He's flung against the wall, grimacing as his head bounces off of it. Stars burst, clouding his vision, and he grabs the arms of the vampire holding him, pushing as hard as he can to try and get away. The next moment, the vampire is gone, and Kozume catches him, as Kuroo stumbles forward.

"You okay?" he asks.

Kuroo nods, even as his ears ring. "Let's finish this."

Even with four hunters, the vampires put up a good fight. It's obvious they've been trained, as they move with calculation and precision, driven not by thirst, but by will and determination. That makes their movements fluid, and it makes things more difficult for the hunters.

But eventually the vampires seem to realize they're fighting a losing battle and they start to retreat. Kuroo clenches his teeth. His best chance at finding Yoshida is slipping through his fingers.

"Don't let them escape!" he cries, hurrying after the fleeing vampires.

Bokuto and Akaashi are directly behind him. He can't sense Kozume, but his focus is on the back of the vampire in front of him. He draws out another arrow, stopping short in order to aim. This time, he deliberately misses the heart. The arrow embeds itself in back of the vampire's knee, and the man goes down. The others abandon him, and as Bokuto and Akaashi follow them into the night, Kuroo kneels beside his fallen enemy.

He turns the vampire onto his back. "Where is Yoshida?" he asks, grabbing the front of the vampire's shirt. He lifts him up before slamming him back into the ground. The vampire grimaces, but says nothing.

"Who killed Kuroo Kouta and Kuroo Ren?" he asks, gritting his teeth.

This time, the vampire laughs in his face. "You must be their brat Tetsurou," he says. "When we found out they had a son, I voted to put you down. But Yoshida-san was trying too hard to win their favor. He should have listened to me."

Kuroo freezes, his blood running cold. "Yoshida was trying to win whose favor?"

"Your parents'," the vampire says with a sneer. "You didn't know? We turned them. 'How powerful will we be if we get hunters on our side?' that's what Yoshida thought, anyway." 

Kuroo falls back on his heels, his mind whirling. "My parents . . . they're alive?"

"In a way. They're vampires, kid."

Kuroo's blood rushes in his ears. Hauling the vampire up, he shakes him slightly. "Where? Where are they?"

The vampire laughs. "They escaped. They've been eluding us for years. If Yoshida can't find them, you never will."

Kuroo drops him. Standing, he fires a shot into the vampire's chest, dusting him.

_He could be lying. Mocking me before his death._

He remembers Kozume behind the bush. _"And if they were vampires?"_

He turns quickly. Kozume stands a few feet away, hands limp at his sides, eyes on the ground.

"You knew, didn't you? You knew they were vampires! That's why you kept checking the ones inside the house. You were seeing if you recognized any of them!" 

Kozume flinches. "I didn't know for sure," he says.

Kuroo's mind is full of static. He stalks over to Kozume, clenching his free hand into a fist.

"When? When did you see them?"

Kozume crosses his arms over his chest, holding himself tightly. "Last week. When we searched the city. I-I ran into two vampires that looked kind of like you but . . . I didn't know for sure it was them."

Kuroo wants to scream. "A week. An entire week you've known my parents are still alive. And you didn't tell me?!"

"I didn't want to get your hopes up in case I was wrong." Kozume's curling into himself, shoulders hunched.

Kuroo stares down at him, anger and hurt and confusion swirling inside him like a tornado threatening to pull him apart. "How considerate," he snaps. "Are you sure you didn't tell me because you knew once I found them I'd kick you out? Or maybe you kept quiet because you're loyal to Yoshida and wanted to finish the job."

Kozume lifts his head, his eyes sparkling with tears even as he scowls. "That's not true," he says, his voice thick.

Kuroo feels his chest spasm with pain. He wants to believe him. But how can he really know for sure what Kozume's intentions were? He's a _vampire_.

"Get out of my sight." The words feel like knives pressing into his skin, but he can barely stand to look at Kozume in this moment. Too much doubt and pain are warring inside him. He needs to think. He needs to figure out what all this means.

_All this time my parents were alive, and they never tried to find me. They never came back to me._

_Kozume knew. He knew for an entire week, and he said nothing. Why? Why would he do that to me?_

_I thought they cared about me._

"Kuroo, I didn't—" Kozume reaches for him, but Kuroo steps back.

"I said, _GO!_ " he shouts, his voice breaking on the lump that's forming in his throat, threatening to choke him.

He stares at the ground, trembling. He hears Kozume walk past, and when he no longer senses him, Kuroo's legs weaken, and he falls. Clutching at the asphalt, he bends over his knees, gasping for breath against the tightness of his chest.

"Kuroo? Kuroo!"

He hears pounding footsteps, then a heavy body throws itself against his back.

"Dude, Kuroo! Are you okay? What's wrong?"

But Kuroo can't speak for fear of breaking down completely. He trembles in Bokuto's arms, clutching at the one that crosses over his chest. Akaashi knees in front of him.

"Where is the vampire?" he asks quietly, meaning Kozume.

Kuroo closes his eyes, forcing the words to come. "Forget him," he says eventually. "I want to go home."

  

 

-

 

 

Kozume's not at the house when he arrives, but Kuroo figures that's for the best. He doesn't know what he would've even said to him. Bokuto and Akaashi leave once he reassures them he's not going to do anything drastic. Then he goes to bed.

He can't sleep. Lying on his back, he stares up at the ceiling and plays the day's events over and over in his mind. Kozume told him that he didn't want to return to his parents after he was turned because he didn't think his parents would love him anymore. Could that have been the same for Kuroo's parents? Had his mom and dad been afraid Kuroo would hate them? Fear them?

After growing up believing vampires were evil, monsters to be killed with impunity, Kuroo isn't sure what his eight-year-old mind would have thought if he'd discovered his parents had been turned. He might have been completely terrified.

The only way he'll know for sure is if he finds them and asks them. But how will he even know where to start? If his parents have been avoiding him for twelve years, it's not likely they're going to reveal themselves now.

Kozume saw them, so he guesses he should ask him where he saw them and in which direction they went. Kuroo sighs, pressing his palms into his eyes. The last thing he wants to do is see Kozume right now, but he doesn't see any other option.

Besides, he supposes Kozume _could_ be telling the truth about not wanting to hurt him. Still, he should have told him. Kuroo has a right to be mad at him for that.

Maybe not as mad as he was before, though.

Reaching for the earpiece he placed beside the bed, he sets it into his ear and presses it. "Kozume? Kozume, can you hear me?"

Silence.

 _Must be too far out of range_. Sighing, Kuroo puts the earpiece back.

_I'll talk to him when he gets back._

 

 

-

 

 

Kozume doesn't return.

Kuroo knows he was rather harsh that night, so he decides not to worry too much at first. But then a day passes, and then two. Guilt starts to settle like a brick in his stomach.

_He must think I hate him now._

If this had happened months ago, he might have hated him. But as things between them now stand, Kuroo just . . . misses him.

He was more than just useful. And even though Kuroo knows he needs Kozume to find his parents, he can't help but long for him in other ways. He steps into the kitchen expecting coffee and breakfast waiting for him and finds nothing but empty space. There's no video game noises filling the silence, and when Kuroo goes outside to train, he finds himself at a loss as to what moves to practice without a sparring partner.

And when he wakes from a nightmare, no slender hand moves to take his. No wide golden eyes stare at him from beside the bed.

He's completely alone, and his chest begins to ache for the companion he'd apparently taken for granted.

_Why won't he come home?_

Five days later, he gets his answer.

A knock on the door in the middle of the day wakes him from a restless sleep. Yawning, he pads to the front door and signs for a package he isn't expecting. Frowning, he notices it's from Kita.

It's surprisingly light, and he opens it warily. There's a piece of folded paper inside, and when he pulls it out, something else falls to the floor. He bends to pick it up and freezes. It's a bundle of hair as thick as his finger, tied together with a red ribbon. The hair is blonde with dark roots.

_Kenma . . ._

The paper reveals an address in Kita with a single message: _"If you want your partner to live, come alone."_

Kuroo moves to the linen closet without a second thought. He's filling a duffel bag when he realizes what he's doing and stops.

 _Am I really about to walk into a vampire coven alone to save a_ vampire _?_

He looks to the doorway. His mind conjures an image of Kenma, standing in those too big tactical pants, rolled up and cinched around his slim waist. A smile quirks Kuroo's lips before he can stop it.

_Hell yeah, I am._

 

 

-

 

 

He doesn't wait for night to head for Kita. Sunlight doesn't kill vampires unless they're exposed for too long, but it does weaken them, and he'll take any advantage he can get. He lets Bokuto and Akaashi know where he's going. They try to talk him out of it, but he's determined.

It's his fault Kenma went off on his own, so Yoshida's coven capturing him is Kuroo's fault as well. Besides, he isn't just going out of a sense of duty to his partner.

"You've grown fond of him," Akaashi surmises, studying Kuroo's face after he tells him his plan.

"He's not like the others," Kuroo says with a helpless shrug. "He's not a monster. I don't think getting turned into a vampire automatically makes someone evil."

"Every vampire I've ever encountered has been evil."

Kuroo shakes his head. "Kenma's not."

At the sound of Kenma's given name, Akaashi raises an eyebrow.

"I get it, dude," Bokuto says, placing his hand on Kuroo's shoulder. "He's been with you a long time. You care about him."

As Kuroo stands in front of the address he was given, he can't help but think there might be more to it than that. But he shakes his mind clear of any distractions and enters the building.

It's a warehouse used for shipping glassware, but when Kuroo enters, he sees no crates or boxes, but instead hooded figures stand in two rows in front of him. They form a single aisle, and at the end of the aisle sits a man in a chair. Beside the chair, arms tied behind his back, kneeling on the floor with a collar around his neck is Kenma. The collar is attached to a chain. The man in the chair holds the chain in one hand, a wine glass of blood in the other. This he lifts toward Kuroo.

"Welcome! Kuroo Tetsurou. It's an honor to finally meet the son of the great hunters Kouta and Ren."

Kuroo grits his teeth, walking forward and resisting the urge to stab every single vampire on his way toward the man. As he gets closer, he sees the row of vampires standing behind the chair, hidden in shadow. The only light in the warehouse comes from the windows far above, patches of light illuminating the floor in front of Kuroo. The vampires in hoods stand just beyond these patches of light, and they neither move nor speak as Kuroo passes them.

Kuroo comes to a stop in front of the chair. The man, Yoshida Ichirou, Kuroo's sure of it, sets down his glass on a small table beside him, gesturing for one of his vampires to step forward and take the duffel bag of weapons from him. Kuroo lets him, but he keeps an eye on where the vampire goes to stand.

"I'm here, now let him go," Kuroo says, looking down at Kenma.

His partner has been stripped to a thin white shirt and loose white pants, and he's barefoot and gagged with a thick white cloth tied around his mouth. He stares up at Kuroo in disbelief, and Kuroo gives him a small apologetic smile.

I'm sorry, he mouths.

"Now, now, the note never said I would release him, just that I wouldn't kill him," Yoshida says, switching the chain to his other hand in order to stroke the top of Kenma's head. Kenma glares. "I'm afraid your little pet is mine now. Though, he can be yours again if you accept my offer."

Kuroo raises his eyebrows, hands on his hips. "You mean the same offer you gave my parents to join your weird cult? Hard pass."

"There are more of us than there are of you," Yoshida says pointedly. "If you refuse, I'll have you turned by force and then keep your pet for myself."

"That's not happening either," Kuroo says, exuding more confidence than he feels. There are more vampires here than he was banking on. He should have called more hunters. But, he supposes they'll just have to do their best.

"Bo! Now!"

A crash from above causes Yoshida to look up. As Bokuto and Akaashi fly through the windows on the zip lines they shot through the glass, Kuroo dives forward, grabbing Kenma and rolling away, pulling the chain out of Yoshida's slackened grip. He quickly pulls the gag off him, setting to work on Kenma's restraints, as the vampires attack the newcomers.

"There's too many of them," Kenma says as soon as his mouth is free.

"I know," Kuroo says grimly. He finishes untying Kenma before taking his face in both hands. "Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?"

Kenma shakes his head, before his eyes widen. "Behind you!"

Kuroo turns just in time to get punched in the face. He falls over with a grunt, but Kenma jumps to his feet, grabbing his chain and swinging it in a sharp arc that smacks the vampire in the face, knocking him back. Kuroo stands quickly, grabbing the front of the vampire's shirt and bringing his head forward to head-butt him. The vampire crumples, and Kuroo turns to Kenma.

"Get the bag," he says.

Kenma nods quickly, scampering toward the duffel bag that had been abandoned in the chaos. Kuroo looks around quickly for Yoshida, but the man has vanished.

"Yo, Kuroo! Couldn't you have given us a heads up on the number?"

"Didn't have time to count!" Kuroo shouts back, slamming his elbow into the face of a vampire that tries to grab him.

"Kuroo!"

Kuroo looks up in time to snatch the stake Kenma tosses him, spinning around then to stab the vampire he just forced back. She erupts in a cloud of dust, and Kenma appears at his side, a stake in hand, the pistols strapped to his waist, and Kuroo's crossbow and quiver over his shoulder. Kuroo hands him his stake and takes the bow and quiver quickly.

"Stay close," he says. "Don't let them separate us."

Kenma smirks. "Again."

"I'll make that up to you later, I promise."

Kenma nods, spinning the stakes in his hands before turning to face the vampires charging toward them.

As well as the four fight, however, Kuroo can tell this is a losing battle. These vampires are even better trained than the ones that attacked Bokuto and Akaashi's house. And there are a lot more of them too.

As they fight, Kuroo looks to Kenma beside him, an ache growing in his chest. He wants to tell him the truth about his feelings, what he's kept hidden for a while and has only just recently admitted to himself. But there's no time, no place to pause and tell him, and Kuroo wonders if he would risk getting killed just to kiss Kenma one last time.

With a loud _SLAM_ the doors to the warehouse burst open and the sound of rapid gunfire fills the air. Kuroo turns toward the noise, and his eyes widen. Vampires fall left and right, either wounded by wooden bullets or dusted. Bokuto and Akaashi make quick work of those that fall, but Kuroo's frozen in place, staring at the two figures that are approaching him.

"Mom? Dad?"

The woman with the wild dark hair and dark amber eyes runs toward him. Lowering her gun, she flings one arm around Kuroo's neck, hugging him tightly.

"Tetsurou," she says. "I'm so sorry this took so long."

Kuroo has no idea if she means the rescue or the reunion, but he grabs her around the waist to hold her tightly anyway. It's strange. The last time he held her like this he was shorter than her, barely coming up to her chest. Now he towers above her. Even so, he feels like a little kid again, as he clings to her.

"It's good to see you, son," Kouta says, firing his automatic weapon at the vampires who are starting to panic. "But let's leave the reunion until after we get out of this mess, huh?"

"Excuse me for wanting to hold my son after twelve years," Ren huffs, though she pulls away from Kuroo and steps over to join her husband.

Kuroo's still stunned at this turn of events, but when he remembers the situation, he snaps back into battle mode. "Mom, Dad, Yoshida was here. He wanted me to join his coven."

His parents exchange a look. "Where did he go?" Kouta asks.

Kenma suddenly appears at his side. "Look," he says, pointing toward the ceiling.

There's a staircase against the wall that leads to an office. Yoshida stands in front of the door, arms crossed over his chest, as he watches the melee below. Kouta turns his weapon onto the vampire, but Yoshida holds out his fist.

"Did you think I wouldn't prepare for an attack?" he calls down to them.

The fighting stops, as hunter and vampire alike turn to look up at the coven leader.

"I've rigged this place with explosives," he says. "I hold the detonator. My followers are willing to die for the cause, so they will do whatever they can to delay your escape. Join me, and I will allow you all to live." 

"As vampires following a murderer!" Kuroo calls back.

"Yeah! Fuck you!" Bokuto says, giving the vampire the middle finger. Akaashi quickly slaps his hand down.

Yoshida smiles thinly. "Very well."

He releases the detonator, disappearing into the office, most likely to escape out that way. Kuroo grabs his mother's arm, shoving her toward the door.

"Out! Everyone out!"

Bokuto and Akaashi rush to follow, but true to his word, Yoshida's followers block the way. The fight continues, as the hunters push forward and the vampires push back. Kuroo's blood pounds in his ears. He has no idea how much time they have, if any of them are going to make it. He throws punches and kicks, stabbing left and right. The others do the same, but there are too many vampires left, and they're running out of time. 

Beside him, Bokuto falls with a yelp, his arm swinging at an odd angle. Akaashi jumps to cover him. Kenma's bleeding from scratch marks that run across his cheek. Kuroo's own body is covered in similar scratches and bruises. He's sore all over, but they have to keep fighting. He just found his parents. He's not going to lose them again.

Someone grabs Kenma's chain, yanking him to the floor. Kuroo growls, rushing forward. He grabs the vampire and stabs him in the back, before taking Kenma's hand to help him to his feet.

Kuroo hesitates. Looking down at him, he feels his chest ache. He has to tell him.

"Kozume, I—"

"I have an idea."

Kuroo blinks. A weight falls across his back, and he twists around, barely missing fangs to the jugular. He grabs the vampire and flings him into his companions.

"I'm going to throw you."

Kuroo whirls back around. "Excuse _me_?"

"I haven't had blood in a while, but I know I'm strong enough to throw you over these vampires. You can get away."

"And leave you behind? No! _Fuck_ , no!"

Kenma gives him a flat stare. "It's the only way. Your mom and dad can throw Bokuto and Akaashi."

Kuroo's mouth feels dry.

"It could work," Kouta says, appearing at his side. He continues firing at the vampires, as he looks between Kuroo and Kenma.

"Wait, wait, but then you three will be stuck here! You'll die!"

"So you can live," Ren says, pressing her palm to her son's cheek.

"I just got you back," Kuroo protests weakly, taking his mother's wrist.

"I'm sorry, Tetsurou. But we would do anything to keep you safe," Ren says.

"Even stay away for twelve years," Kouta adds, regret lacing his tone.

"But—"

"There's no time." Kenma crouches down, folding his fingers together to form a step. "Now, Kuroo!"

"Go, son! We'll be right behind you!"

Everything in him screams that this is wrong. Kuroo's supposed to be the last man standing. He's supposed to serve and protect. He was supposed to save Kenma. And his parents . . .

" _Kuroo_!"

He looks down at Kenma to find him glaring up at him. "Do you trust me?" he asks, sharply.

Kuroo steps onto his hands. With a soft grunt, Kenma stands quickly, tossing him into the air. Kuroo flips over the heads of the vampires and hits the ground awkwardly, his ankle rolling under him. Still, he hobbles forward as fast as he can. He hears the grunt of someone else falling behind him, and then another.

He doesn't stop until he thinks he's out of range. Then he turns, relief flooding through him, as he watches Akaashi and Bokuto make their way toward him, Bokuto clutching his broken arm to his chest. Behind them, Kuroo sees his parents, his father running backwards to fire his weapon back into the warehouse. Kuroo's heart swells, and he hurries forward . . .

only to be blown back as the warehouse explodes.

Ears ringing, Kuroo grimaces, as he looks up at the sky. He groans, rolling over to push himself up onto his feet. He staggers, his balance off. He sees Bokuto and Akaashi on the ground beside him, coughing at the dust and ash in the air. A few more steps ahead, Kouta helps Ren to her feet.

Kuroo frowns, realizing something's wrong but mind too scrambled to put the pieces together.

Then he realizes.

Kenma.

He doesn't see Kenma.

"Mom! Dad!" He runs forward, swaying slightly until he grabs Kouta's shoulder to steady himself. "What happened? Where's Kenma?"

"He took my rifle and used it to clear a path for us," Ren says, placing her hand on Kuroo's arm. "But when he tried to follow, one of Yoshida's followers grabbed his chain and pulled him back. I'm sorry, Tetsurou."

Kuroo shoves past them, running as fast as he can despite his ankle. His parents call after him, but he pushes forward toward the burning warehouse. He pulls his shirt up over his nose and mouth, squinting through the smoke. He sees the bodies of multiple vampires burning, gags at the smell. It's difficult to see, but then he steps on a chain.

Following it quickly, he comes to a body. Kenma's half buried beneath another burning vampire, and Kuroo grabs him under the arms, pulling him out. Kenma whimpers softly.

 _Fuck, he's alive_. The relief nearly sends Kuroo to his knees, but he doesn't waste time. He picks him up and limps out of the warehouse, sweat and soot clinging to him. His ankle throbs, but he doesn't stop walking until he reaches the others.

Then he collapses, cradling Kenma in his lap.

"Oh, Tetsurou," Ren murmurs, stroking his hair gently. "I'm so sorry."

Kuroo stares dumbly at his partner in his arms. Kenma's body is covered in burns, third and second degree. His clothes are blackened scraps, barely clinging to him, and half his hair is gone. His face is nearly unrecognizable. Kuroo doesn't know much about vampire physiology, but he knows Kenma won't be able to survive this.

Unless . . .

Kuroo strips off his jacket, tossing it aside.

"Kuroo, dude, what are you doing?" Bokuto asks, eyes wide.

"Saving him," Kuroo says, as though that should be obvious. He reaches for Kenma's chin, pressing against it to open his mouth. Being unconscious and unable to control them, Kenma's fangs glisten, sharp and deadly. Placing one hand beneath Kenma's head to steady him, Kuroo silently counts to three, before pushing his left wrist against the fangs. They pierce his skin, and he hisses at the pain, as blood drips down into Kenma's mouth. 

He finds himself holding his breath, waiting, praying to whatever god will listen, as the blood falls drop by drop.

"Come on, come on," he mutters. "Kenma, _please_."

"Tetsurou," his father's hand falls onto his shoulder. "The boy is gone."

Something warm and wet touches Kuroo's skin. He stiffens, as Kenma's tongue licks up the blood dripping from the wounds. Then his mouth closes around Kuroo's wrist, and Kenma begins to suck, slowly at first, then quickly. Kuroo laughs in relief, as he watches Kenma's skin begin to heal itself before his eyes.

"It's working!" he crows. "Come on, Kenma! That's it! You're doing great!"

Tingles of warmth flow through him from his arm, no doubt the venom seeping into his blood stream. Despite knowing the effects of the venom, Kuroo doesn't care. Kenma's skin is healing, his hair growing back, his strength returning. Reaching up, Kenma grabs Kuroo's arm, fingers curling around it to hold it tightly against his mouth. He sinks his fangs in deeper, drinking ravenously.

Kuroo shivers, as pleasure sparks along his veins. He stares down at Kenma wondrously, watching him transform back into the adorable, beautiful young man he knows and loves. He laughs again, as he realizes he can say it now.

"I love you, Kenma," he says, stroking his fingers through the newly grown hair. "I love you. I love you."

He feels dizzy, light-headed, but that's okay. He'll give all his blood to Kenma. He's happy to give it to him. It feels amazing, and it's making Kenma better.

"Kuroo, Kuroo, bro you need to stop," Bokuto's shaking him, but his voice sounds far away.

"No, he needs more," Kuroo protests, his words slurring. "He needs . . . to get better."

Spots appear in his vision. He knows he's about to black out, but he continues to hold Kenma close. "Don't let him stop," he tells Bokuto. "Not . . . until he's all better."

Ren kneels beside him, and catches him as he slumps over. Kenma continues to suckle at his arm, but it's okay. Kuroo smiles, as he closes his eyes.

_Kenma will live._

 

 

***

 

 

 

Kenma opens his eyes in his room. He blinks rapidly, wondering how he got here. The last thing he remembers, he was chained to the wall in Yoshida's bedroom. And then . . .

Kenma sits up quickly. "Kuroo!"

"No need to shout."

Kenma's head whips to the side, and he sees Kuroo sitting by the window, grinning back at him. He looks pale, and there are dark circles under his eyes. His left wrist is bandaged, and Kenma touches his mouth in horror.

"Your arm . . ."

"Oh, this? This is nothing." Kuroo holds up his wrist before waving dismissively. "A small sacrifice. Unlike yours." He smiles grimly, moving to stand. He wavers unsteadily, grabbing the back of the chair, before stepping forward. He's limping slightly, and Kenma feels guilt twist his stomach.

"You let me drink from you," he realizes. "That's how I'm still alive."

"I did," Kuroo says, lowering himself onto the edge of the bed. "You know, it really isn't that bad. Feels kind of good once you get past the initial sting and, you know, the fact that someone's sucking your blood out of you." He smirks. 

Kenma stares back at him, blinking. "Why?"

Kuroo's smirk fades. He reaches up to tuck a strand of Kenma's hair behind his ear. "Why do you think?"

Kenma swallows hard. "You were mad . . ."

"Yeah, I was. But then I stopped being mad. I understand why you kept it a secret from me. I don't like it, but I understand."

". . . Your parents?"

"Oh, yeah! They're outside. I wanted them to meet you." Kuroo grins, moving to stand. "Hang on, I'll go get them!"

Kenma reaches out quickly to grab Kuroo's hand, stopping him short. "I had a dream," he says quietly, eyes falling to the blankets. His chest feels tight, as he swallows back the lump in his throat. Surely this can't be real . . .

"You were holding me, and you said you loved me."

Kuroo turns toward him, sitting back on the bed with one leg tucked under him so he can face Kenma fully. "That wasn't a dream," he admits. He turns his hand around to hold Kenma's, stroking his thumb along his knuckles. "I've been denying my feelings for a long time. I didn't want to admit to them, because I didn't want to be in love with a vampire. It didn't seem right."

Kenma bites his lip, staring at Kuroo's thumb as it keeps passing over his knuckles again and again, the touch warm and light.

"But when I stopped looking at you and seeing you as a vampire . . . when I looked at you and saw _Kenma_ . . . I couldn't lie to myself anymore."

Kenma lifts his gaze to meet Kuroo's, self-conscious at the affection he sees in them, but longing for it all the same. "You said 'Kenma'," he replies dumbly.

Kuroo smirks. "Kenma, Kenma, Kenma," he says, leaning closer.

Kenma quickly ducks his head, every inch of him squirming in embarrassment. "Shut up," he mutters.

Kuroo sets his forehead lightly against his. "You can call me Tetsurou, if you want," he says conspiratorially.

Kenma wonders if he's still dreaming. "You're acting different," he says.

"I feel different," Kuroo admits, leaning back slightly. "Having my parents back . . . having you . . ." He reaches up, brushing the knuckles of his free hand against Kenma's cheek. "You know, it's because of you that I was able to accept my parents being vampires. You made me realize that just because someone is turned, that doesn't necessarily change who they are. I was so consumed with hatred and anger, I couldn't see clearly until you came into my life. I realize now how much of a jerk I was. In some ways, I was just as bad as the vampires I hunted. I don't want to be that Kuroo Tetsurou, anymore. He was stupid and weak."

"He was hurting," Kenma defends quietly, his mind spinning at this confession.

Kuroo smiles. "He was. But he's not anymore. Now he's happy and full of love. And while he knows two of the three people he loves loves him back, he's not quite sure about the third. He'd like to hear him say it."

Kenma wrinkles his nose. "Do I have to?"

"Hey, I saved your life," Kuroo says pointedly, smirking again. "Remember?"

He doesn't, but he thinks he's starting to. Kenma's been trying to piece together what happened ever since he saw Kuroo by the window, and with the scraps of memory that invaded his dreams, things are slowly falling into place.

"You came to get me. You were angry with me, but you still came to rescue me," he realizes.

"Of course I did," Kuroo says, smiling wryly. "Though I guess I can't really blame you for doubting me. I'm sorry for what I said."

"I'm sorry too," Kenma murmurs. Reaching up with his free hand, he tangles his fingers in Kuroo's hair, pushing back his fringe in order to look into both eyes. "Does this mean I can stay?"

Kuroo laughs. "Do you think I'd declare my love for you only to kick you out?"

Kenma shakes his head, realizing Kuroo really wouldn't. Moving his hand, he shifts it behind Kuroo's head, down to his neck. He tugs gently, and Kuroo moves forward easily. They bump noses briefly, before Kenma tilts his head and kisses him. Kuroo lifts his hand, pressing it against the side of Kenma's face, as he returns the kiss.

Kenma trembles slightly, as he begins to move his lips, deepening the kiss. Kuroo melts into it, pliant and willing in a way he wasn't the first time. There's no pain behind this kiss, no reluctance or shame. Only affection; only love.

Kenma leans back against the pillows, pulling Kuroo down on top of him. He braces his elbow beside Kenma, shifting so he's lying beside him and wrapping his other arm around Kenma's waist. He pulls him closer, and Kenma feels his tongue prod his lips. He opens for him, welcomes Kuroo inside, and moans when he feels the soft, wet touch of his tongue.

This isn't a dream, he realizes. He's really in Kuroo's arms, and Kuroo's fully aware of what he's doing. He's accepting Kenma, all of him. And Kenma feels the rush of warmth and safety that he's longed to feel for so long.

Kuroo pulls away before Kenma's ready, and an extremely embarrassing whine escapes him. Kuroo laughs at the sound, and Kenma frowns, pinching his side.

"I'm not sorry," Kuroo grins, catching Kenma's hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss his fingers. "You're adorable."

Kenma turns his face into the pillow, kind of wanting to die, but he also doesn't want Kuroo to stop. He never thought he'd hear those words coming from him, and he relaxes further against him.

"Can you say it just once? So I can hear it?" Kuroo murmurs into his ear, brushing his lips against the shell off it in a tender kiss.

Kenma keeps his face hidden, but he relents with a mumbled, "I love you."

Kuroo chuckles softly. "I love you too," he says, before nudging Kenma's side. "Come on. Let me introduce you to my parents."

He rolls off the bed, and Kenma immediately misses his warmth. But then he holds out his hand, and Kenma takes it, moving to stand.

"I already met them, you know," he says.

"Yeah, but that was in the midst of battle. That doesn't count."

Kuroo waves him off. He heads for the door, pulling Kenma along beside him. As Kenma follows, he realizes what this means. He's really going to stay with Kuroo. This is going to be his home now. Kuroo is going to be his home.

He can't help but smile faintly.

For the first time since he was turned, Kenma looks forward to the future.

**Author's Note:**

> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


End file.
